


Center Stage

by monetfun



Category: Center Stage (2000), Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Center Stage AU, F/F, Regina is not related to either Cora or Zelena, tw: eating disorder of minor character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-14
Updated: 2014-09-21
Packaged: 2018-02-17 10:26:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2306369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/monetfun/pseuds/monetfun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>3 year-old Henry Swan-Mills wants to hear his favorite bedtime story about how his mothers fell in love. Emma is a ballet student at the American Ballet Academy hoping to get a spot within the American Ballet Company. Regina is a former principal ballerina with ABC who suffered a career ending injury which forces her into a faculty position at the Academy. The two of the clash within their first meeting and in Emma's year at the Academy but there is a fine line between love and hate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue - Bedtime Story

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much to MockingJ for creating such beautiful artwork for my fic. I only hope it lives up to it.

Regina looks at her phone hoping to see a text from her wife, Emma, telling her she is on her way home. Emma had hoped to make it home before Henry’s bedtime tonight but she had told Regina she wasn’t sure if she was going to have to dance that night or not.

Regina’s phone buzzes and she sees a new text from Emma.  

_Not going to make it home early tonight. :( Belle is “sick” and Gold needs me to dance in her place. Tell the kiddo sorry and that I love him. Love you too! xo_

Regina frowns at the text from Emma. She personally understands the demands of being a professional ballet dancer but that doesn’t mean she isn’t disappointed that Emma couldn’t be home with her to put Henry to bed. Regina would be glad when the season was over and Regina could have her evenings with Emma back.

Regina sent a text to Emma so she won’t worry even though she won’t probably see the text until after the performance.

_No problem, dear. Sounds like it couldn’t have been helped. I will see you when you get home tonight. I love you._

Regina let out a heavy sigh as she went upstairs to Henry’s room to start the long routine of getting Henry ready for bed.

“Time to get ready for bed, Henry,” says Regina as she walks into Henry’s room where he was sitting on the floor playing with his toys.

“But Momma I don’t wanna go to bed. I still playing and I wanna see Mommy before I hafta go to bed,” whines Henry looking up at his mother with a pout that was all Emma. Regina may have given birth to Henry but so much of him was Emma.

“Henry, Mommy has to dance tonight. She wanted me to tell you that she is really sorry and she loves you very much.”

“I don’t want Mommy to dance! I want Mommy to put me to bed too,” says Henry as he threw one of his blocks across the room.

“Henry James we do not throw our toys! I know you are upset that Mommy isn’t here but that doesn’t mean you can throw your toys,” says Regina as she crouched down looking Henry right in the eye letting him know that his behavior was not okay.

“I sorry Momma.”

“I know you are honey. How about I let you pick any bedtime story you want if you get ready for bed without fighting me,” says Regina who was not above a little bribery to get her often willful son to cooperate.

“Any story Momma?”

“Yes, any story as long as it is not too long. Now come brush your teeth or there won’t be a story.”

“Okay Momma but I want to use the sparkly toothpaste. I don’t like your’s and Mommy’s. It tastes yucky,” says Henry grimacing thinking about the taste of his mothers’ toothpaste.

“Fine you can use the sparkly toothpaste,” says Regina as she guides Henry towards the bathroom. She knew she needed to pick her battles and letting Henry use that disgusting sparkly blue toothpaste was not one she prepared to take on tonight.

“So what story do you want me to tell tonight Henry?” asks Regina as the were both snuggled up in Henry’s bed.

“I want your’s and Mommy’s story.”

“Again Henry? You always ask for that story,” says Regina, she shouldn’t have been surprised since that was Henry’s favorite story. He loved to hear the story about how his parents fell in love which Regina thought was a bit odd for a three year old boy. Emma thought it was cute and loved to tell “their” story to Henry.

“Yep, Momma. It’s my favorite,” says Henry looking up at Regina with big brown eyes and that crooked half smile she has such a hard time saying no to.

“Oh okay,” says Regina as she leans down to kiss the top of Henry’s head. “I met your Mommy when she came to audition…”

“No Momma you need to start with Once Upon a Time. Every fairytale needs to start with Once Upon a Time,” interrupts Henry.

“Very well, Once Upon a Time in Boston a young woman named Emma Swan came to audition for the American Ballet Academy because she wanted to become a prima ballerina.”

“That’s better, Momma.”

“I am glad I am telling the story to your specifications,” mutters Regina under her breath. Emma was much better at telling this story.

“What Momma?”

“Nothing Henry. Let me continue the story,” she says as she snuggles further down into the bed and pulled Henry in tighter against her side. She was tired and upset that Emma couldn’t make it home to help and she knew she should not take that out on Henry.

“At her audition Emma met a slightly older woman named Regina Mills, who was a principal dancer in the American Ballet Company until she had a career ending injury and could no longer dance professionally anymore. So she became a faculty member at the American Ballet Academy where she could teach and shape the new generation of upcoming ballet dancers. Regina was in Boston to judge the auditions of ballet dancers auditioning for a coveted spot in the ABA Studio Company…”

 


	2. Chapter 1 - Audition and First Meeting

Emma sat on a bench in the hallway outside of the dance studio waiting for her turn to perform her solo. Her right leg bounced up and down as her nerves leaked out. She had told her friends from her former group home that this wasn’t a big deal and she didn’t care if she made into the American Ballet Academy but that was a total lie. Being a prima ballerina had been the one thing Emma had wanted since her first dance class when she was 3 years old. This dream had sustained her through the many foster homes and subsequent group homes that Emma had cycled through. Her first foster parents put her in ballet classes before they sent her back. Emma had gotten lucky that her social worker was able to work it out so that she could continue taking dance classes. She was constantly girl in the class there on scholarship and often had to switch dance studios when was sent to yet another foster home. Emma’s leotards were often ill fitting, her tights had holes in them and new pointe shoes were a luxury she could not afford on a regular basis. All of that did not matter when she was dancing because that was the only time she ever felt like she truly belonged.

Emma looked around at the other dancers stretching and warming up all along the hallway. Sizing up the competition she wondered if she was possibly good enough to make it into the academy. It was this or she was going to have to find a job in some coffee shop, plus New York sounded so much better than Boston. She was ready to get away and go someplace new where she could be more than just the foster kid in hand me down dancewear who could dance well.

“Emma Swan?”

Emma looked up to see who had called her name and found herself looking at Regina Mills. She was so much more beautiful up close than she was on TV.

“Uh yeah? That’s me.” said Emma as she kind of shrugged her hand up and a blush tinged her cheeks.

“Well, like I said just a second ago it is your turn to audition your solo unless you have changed your mind.”

“Nope, I haven’t changed my mind.”

“Well dear, then come along. We don’t have all day to wait for you.”

Wow what a bitch, but damn she is hot thought Emma as she caught herself staring at Regina Mills’ ass.

“Eyes up Miss Swan and follow me. You have an solo perform and we wouldn’t want you distracted,” said Regina as she looked over her shoulder and smirked at Emma.

Emma felt her cheeks redden even more and sheepishly ducked her head as she followed Regina down the hall and into the audition space. Across the room from the door to the audition room were a man and woman sitting behind a table. Regina made her way over to sit in the empty chair next to the dour looking man.

This was Emma’s time to shine in front of the judges who would decide whether she got a spot at the ABA. Emma thought she had done well in the group barre and centre exercises but it was easy to get lost in the mix of other girls with more consistent training or better technique. She needed to show the judges that not only did she really want this but that her dancing could back that up.

“Do you have the music for your solo?” asked the other woman in the room.

“Ya it’s right here,” said Emma as she rummaged through bag trying to find the CD case in the jumble of clothes. “Just a sec I swear I have it in here. Ah here it is,” said Emma as raised the CD case up triumphantly which caused her to drop her bag in heap next the wall.

Emma could have sworn that Regina was trying to keep from smiling when she brought the CD over to the other woman. The woman put her music into the CD player hooked up to the sound system in the room.

“Whenever you are ready please take your position on the floor and I will start your music,” said the woman.

Emma took walked out to the center of the floor in the studio. She took her starting position and waited for the music to start. Emma took a few deep breaths to try to steady her nerves. This was most important solo she had ever performed up until now and she had to perform for Regina freaking Mills. She could feel the other woman’s piercing gaze directed right at her even though Emma facing away from the judges.

Emma heard the music start and she waited five beats before starting to dance. When Emma danced she entered a place where anything was possible. She was beautiful, graceful and most importantly free from all of the constraints that the world put on her. It didn’t matter about her past or her upbringing when she danced. As the end of the song neared, Emma finished her solo with a series of pirouettes en arabesque. Emma usually used a spot on the wall when spotting while she pirouetted but she her eyes kept being drawn to Regina’s as she watched Emma dance. Emma finished her solo and she knew that was the best she had ever danced in her life; if they did not want her after that performance there was nothing more she could have done to try to convince them. Emma’s eyes were drawn back to Regina practically ignoring the other woman and man in the room who were judging her solo.

Regina had dismissed Emma Swan as a dud after that stupid hand raise and blush in the hall when she had called her name for a second time. Watching her fumble around in her bag for her CD had solidified her feelings that this solo audition was going to be a disaster. Emma Swan was attractive to be sure, she had long and lean legs, her arms were muscular but not overly so, her neck long, and her hair was a gorgeous shade of blonde. Regina could only imagine what her hair would look like when it wasn’t all bound up in a bun. Regina had felt a short burst of  arousal when she had noticed Emma staring at her ass but she wasn’t going to let that affect her judgement of Emma’s dancing.

Regina was pleasantly surprised to find out she was wrong when Emma started to dance. Emma’s technique wasn’t perfect but with more practice her deficiencies could be easily corrected. Regina couldn’t take her eyes off of Emma throughout her performance. She had a quality to her performance that couldn’t be taught. She looked like she was dancing for her life and Regina knew that she would be amazing in front of audience. How could someone so awkward and clumsy be so beautiful and graceful while she was dancing? When Emma had finished her solo Regina found herself staring into beautiful hazel (?) eyes.

“Thank you Miss Swan, here is your music. You can wait outside in the hall again until we announce the results,” said the man breaking both Regina and Emma out of their reverie.

“Um, yeah. I mean thanks,” said Emma as grabbed the CD from the man and hastily grabbed her bag from the floor and clutched it to her chest. She almost tripped over own feet on her way out the door.

Regina tried stifle a chuckle as the graceful Emma disappeared and the awkward and clumsy one reappeared before her eyes. It was quite the transformation and Regina was having hard time not finding it endearing.

Emma waited in the hallway for what seemed like an age but was really only about 45 minutes since Emma was one of the last solo auditions to perform. She had been at the ballet studio bordering on 8 hours and she was just ready to get back to the tiny apartment she shared with her former foster brother and best friend, August, and sleep for days. She was exhausted, her nerves were shot, and she just wanted to know she had been accepted or not.

Emma heard her name called and a woman handed her an envelope that had Emma’s fate within. Emma quickly opened up the envelope and read the letter. She quickly gathered up all of her things and walked quickly between the other dancers in the hall. She really needed to get out of that damn studio.

Emma’s friend August was waiting for her outside.

“Hey. Hey what happened? They didn’t accept you?” asked August as he followed Emma, who was quickly walking away from the studio.

“No.”

“No? Those bastards.”

“No they didn’t. No they did!”

“What? Em, that is amazing. This is what you have always want,” said August pulling Emma into a hug and spinning her around.

“Put me down you oaf!” said Emma as she smacked August in the back.

“Emma this is your chance. Take it and get the hell out of this town.”


	3. Chapter 2 - New York and First Days at the Academy

Emma was getting her stuff situated in the dorm room when a petite brunette with a short pixie cut walked into the room.

“Hi, I’m Emma Swan. How you doing?”

“Mary Margaret Blanchard. Fine, uh I’m new here,” said Mary Margaret.

“Oh me too. I took the top is that okay?”

“This is good. Do you know who I met on my way in? Victor Whale.”

“Oh yeah. Did he seem as cocky in person as does on TV?” asked Emma.

“I mean is just kind of freaks me out that we are going to see people like around all the time now,” said Mary Margaret blushing as she talked about Victor Whale.

“You get used to it,” said a voice from the doorway. Emma and Mary Margaret both looked over to see a beautiful, tall redhead.  “I’m Zelena. I guess I am living with you two.”

“Don’t sound so excited,” said Emma with an eyeroll as she lit a cigarette.

“Hi, I’m Mary Margaret ,” said Mary Margaret as she walked over to shake Zelena’s hand. “This is Emma,” she said pointing over at Emma.

“Um what are you doing?” asked Zelena.

“I’m knitting a sweater,” said Emma as she took a big drag of her cigarette.

“Uh, if you want to smoke you have to go outside.”

“Fine I’ll go outside. Are you coming?” asked Emma looking at Mary Margaret to see if she was following her out of the room.

“Hey, Killian Jones,” said a male dancer walking down the hall carrying a laundry basket.

“How are you doing Killian?” said Emma holding out her hand to shake Ruby’s hand.

“My stage name is Killian O. Jones after Oprah. She is my idol.”

“Emma Swan after no one.”

“An individual, I like it,” said Killian who then looked over at Mary Margaret.

“Mary Margaret Blanchard,” she said shaking Killian’s hand.

“We were just going out to smoke if you want to join us,” Emma asked Killian.

“No come downstairs it is Marlboro country,” said Killian heading through a door towards the stairs.

Emma and Mary Margaret followed Killian down the stairs to his dorm room. They met Killian’s roommate Sergei when they got to his room. Emma picked up a picture from Sergei’s desk.

“So Serge?”

“Sergei, Sergei.”

“Who’s the babe?” asked Emma looking at the picture of the cute couple.

“Galina.”

“Oh God don’t get him started,” said Killian.

“She was here all four years with me and now she dances with San Francisco Ballet,” said Sergei.

“You’ve been here four years already?” asked Mary Margaret.

“Yeah.”

“So you know the story with this Zelena chick we are living with,” Emma asked Sergei.

“You’re living with Zelena? Well good luck.”

“Big time bitch?”

“Biggest time. And of course she has the best technique in the school. She was here since she was nine.”

“Is this the right room?” asked a tall sandy brown haired guy who walked into the dorm room. “If it’s not I am staying anyways.”

“No argument here, baby,” said Killian.

“If you are David then you are in the right place,” said Sergei as he shook David’s hand.

“That’s Sergei, that’s Mary Margaret, that’s Emma, I’m Killian, and you’re cute,” said Killian. “Long trip?”

“From Seattle. My girlfriend, Kathryn, dumped me for leaving her there,” said David as he looked right at Mary Margaret.

 

* * *

 

Rehearsals started bright and early the Monday morning after they all arrived in New York starting with a meeting of the whole senior level class of both boys and girls. All of the faculty and Mr. Gold, the director of ABC, showed up to the first meeting.

“Morning,” said Mr. Gold in his thick Scottish brogue, gaining the attention of all of the students in the room. “Will the new students please raise your hands.”

About half of the students in the class raised their hand.

“Now which of you was the best in the last class he or she took? Come on,” he said as most of the class reluctantly raise their hands. “It’s heady thing isn’t it? Being the best. Teachers dote on you, other students ask for your help. An aura builds and then you get accepted into ABA. And whether or not you admit it you start thinking it’s just a matter of time before your doing Giselle before packed houses at Lincoln Center. For most of you that will never happen. I don’t say this to be cruel but to help you clarify your expectations for the year ahead. If you work harder everyday than you’ve ever worked in your life this school will turn you into the best dancer you will ever be. That may or may not be the kind of dancer I have room for in the company. At best I can take three boys and three girls. I’ll be watching you carefully over the coming months, but I won’t be making any decisions until I see you dance in the workshop performance at the end of the year. They won’t be easy decision to make because you’re all very talented. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t. Thank you for bring your gifts to our community. I wish you all a good year.”

“I hope he doesn’t think that was inspirational,” whispered David to Killian as they try not laugh towards the end of Mr. Gold’s speech.

“Oh and one more thing. Next week is the company gala and we always invite our advanced students to attend the performance and to help out at the party afterwards. I expect you all to be there.”

Mr. Gold and the other teachers prepared to leave the rehearsal space when Emma walked in late blowing a bubble with her gum.

“And you are?” said Mr. Gold.

“Emma Swan.”

“So glad you could fit us into your busy schedule, Emma.”

“Oh no sweat,” said Emma as she walked further into the studio.

The class erupted in laughter. Regina who had been standing behind Mr. Gold as he gave his yearly “inspirational” speech was livid at the gaul of Emma Swan prancing in late. She had such potential and she was already pissing off Gold which was never a good idea.

 

* * *

 

“Alright, ladies we will start with our plies. First position, demi and stretch, demi and stretch, full gran plie and return, port de bras forward, full port de bras back. The same in second, fourth and fifth positions. And then we’ll rise and take a balance in fifth,” said Regina moving through all of the exercises at the barre as she explained what they would be doing.

“Yes, lets begin. Steven,” said Regina prompting the piano player to being playing.

Regina walked throughout the room as the girls went through the barre exercises she had outlined.

“Relax those fingers, Janie. Very nice Zelena. Pull those ribs in, really support. Nice long lines, ladies. Let the energy come up over your heads,” commented Regina as she observed each girl separately.

“What’s your name, dear,” asked Regina as she walked up to Mary Margaret.

“I’m Mary Margaret Blanchard,” she whispered.

“You need to concentrate on your turn-out,” said Regina as she pointed Mary Margaret’s legs and hips. Mary Margaret tried to move her heels forward to improve her turn-out.

“We have dress code here. Black leotard, pink tights,” said Regina as she walked up to Emma in a forest green leotard and black tights.

“Stylish,” said Emma staring Regina right in the eyes.

“No gum,” said Regina with more force this time.

Emma looked right at Regina, swallowed her gum, and then smiled at Regina.

“Get your hair off your face.”

Emma glared at Regina and pushed the two pieces of hair, hanging on either side of her face, behind her ears.

Regina stalked away from Emma with her arms firmly crossed in front of her and the vein in her forehead pulsing dangerously. It seemed that she was going to have her hands full with Emma.

After the barre exercises had been finished, Regina brought the girls into show them what centre exercises they would be doing.

“Developpe, ecarte, change to efface, plie, tendu, then lift the leg first arabesque. Zelena can you show us please,” said Regina.

Zelena began to go through the steps outlined by Regina.

“Now look at Zelena’s arms perfectly supported from underneath, not above. Not wilting at her sides like dead chicken wings.”

“Oh she’s so good,” whispered Mary Margaret to Emma.

“Yeah, just ask her,” snarked Emma.

The girls lined up to go through centre exercises across the floor in groups of three. Emma went in the first group.

“And one,” said Regina loudly above the music playing as Emma’s group started to dance across the floor. “Really extend that front leg, yes.”

Emm finished sequence with a perfect pirouette.

“Whoa, where did she come from?” said Anna, one of the other girls, to Zelena in response to Emma’s dancing.

“Anna eyes off the mirror, please,” said Regina when Anna’s group was dancing. Mary Margaret was in the same group with Anna and she ran into Anna when finishing her pirouette. “Watch where you are going dear we don’t carry collision insurance.”

All Mary Margaret could do was smile at Regina and move to the back of the room.

 

* * *

 

“I swear I am not normally this bad. I am just really nervous,” said Mary Margaret as she walked with the other girls after class was out.

“Hey, don’t sweat it. First day never counts,” said Emma as she tried to comfort her friend.

“Everything counts here,” snarked Zelena.

The girls stopped to look at the boys’ class.

“Who’s the new cute one in the middle?” asked Anna.

“David from Seattle,” said Emma.

“We met him yesterday,” said Mary Margaret.

“Is he gay or straight,” asked Anna excitedly.

“Straight,” said Emma smugly as she and Mary Margaret waved to David who walked by their group smiling at Mary Margaret.

Belle French walked down the hall past the girls. “Hi girls. Zelena. Anna,” she said as kept walking.

“Oh my god. That’s Belle French,” said Mary Margaret in awe.

“The Belle French,” said Anna smiling like the cat who got the cream because Belle knew her name.

“She is so beautiful,” said Mary Margaret.

“Well I kind of think she look likes a gerbil,” said Emma who was hardly impressed by Belle. Now Regina she was impressed by and she couldn’t believe all of the thing she had said to Regina in class. It just seemed that she brought out the worst in Emma.

“What?!” said Mary Margaret.

“She does,” Emma said as she rolled her eyes.

“She just married Mr. Gold, right?”

“Wait a minute. She married the director? Now I get it.”

“Yeah this summer. It was a big scandal,” said Emily, another advanced dancer in their group. “She was with Victor Whale for a few years.”

“Then one day out of no where she tells him she’s leaving him for Gold,” said Zelena dramatically.

“No one even knew they were having an affair,” said Anna.

“Victor threw a huge fit in rehearsal and called her a slut and stuff,” said Zelena.

“Unbelievable,” said Anna.

“Then he dragged his broken heart off to London to dance for the season.”

“Where rumor has it he drinks like a fish and screws every girl in tights,” said Emily.

“He’s back you know?”said Anna.

“I heard he hasn’t spoken to anyone,” said Zelena.

“He talked to me,” said Mary Margaret. All of the other girls perked up at that and looked at her jealousy. “He offered to help me with my bags.”

The girls just looked at each and smirked. There was no way the Victor Whale would be interested in little Mary Margaret.

 

* * *

 

After class Zelena went to the company’s fundraising office to find her mother Cora. Cora was very invested in Zelena’ success within the company and did everything she could to make sure that her daughter succeeded.

“Hi mom.”

“Hi sweetie,” said Cora as she kissed Zelena’s cheek. “Well?”

“Nothing to worry about,” said Zelena proudly.

“So whats the competition? What about your roommates?”

“Mary Margaret’s hopeless, she’ll never make it?”

“Is she the one from Boston?”

“No, that’s Emma. Emma’s actually good, amazing extension but her attitude stinks. Gold hates her already. Thank God!”

“So you still think it will be you, Anna and Emily?” asked Cora.

“Yeah, although have you seen Emily lately? Look at her.” said Zelena nodding her head towards Emily who was walking by them in the cafeteria.

“Hello, Emily?” said Cora sizing up the girl in question and noticing the weight she had packed on.

“Hi, Ms. Cummings,” said Emily who totally oblivious to the judgement that was being passed on her weight.

“Oh dear.”

“Her pas de deux partner’s going to need a crane to lift her,” said Zelena with glee. Zelena and Cora had a good laugh over Zelena’s cruel joke at the expense of Emily.

 

* * *

 

They all got to attend the company gala performance the next week. The gala showcased the very best of the company. They did an excerpt from Romeo and Juliet with Victor Whale dancing the role of Romeo and Belle French as Juliet. Watching them dance you would never know that there had ever been any scandal between them. Their performance had Emma in tears by the end of it, it was so beautiful. It reminded Emma why she was at ABA so that one day she would be able to do that on stage and move someone like that performance had moved her.

After the performances the advanced students were tasked with walking around the party selling props and items from the company to the very wealthy attendees at the gala.

“No way people actually buy this shit,” said Emma holding up a pair of used pointe shoes.

“But it’s signed by Belle French,” said Mary Margaret who was ever the optimist.

“It is still just a smelly old shoe,” said Emma throwing pointe shoes back in her basket. “Let’s just get this shit over with.” Emma split off from Mary Margaret and went into the crowd filled with the New York elite.

“Victor, can I tear you away for a second,” said Gold interrupting Victor talking up one of the beautiful young women at the gala. “There’s a women here whose husband just died leaving her $200 million dollars and she adores you. Let me introduce you.”

“Now why does that feel wrong?”

“Oh it is just a hello. It is for the the good of the company.”

“Well if it is good for the company than I’m in. You know me, team player,” said Victor snidely as he was led through the party by Gold.

“Joan Miller this is Victor Whale,” said Gold introducing the two.

“It is an honor. Victor, I am without a doubt your biggest fan,” said Joan practically breathless.

“And my loveliest,” said Victor kissing Joan’s hand.

“Well, what on earth are doing way over in dreary London when everyone loves you so much here.”

“Don’t you listen to the gossip I was wallowing, being a scorned lover, you know all that,” said Victor trying to get a rise out of Gold.

Mary Margaret who had been following Victor around the room took that moment to trip and crash into Joan.

“Oh I am so sorry. God I am so clumsy sometimes,” pleaded Mary Margaret.

“It’s okay. I am fine don’t worry about it,” said Joan.

“Joan this is one of our advanced student’s…” said Gold trying to remember her name.

“Mary Margaret Blanchard,” she supplied to Gold.

“We have so many promising students here I find it hard to keep them straight.”

“You see that’s how taxing Mr. Gold’s job is. There’s so much going on he can remember the name of a beautiful girl. Don’t worry Mary Margaret, I don’t run a company I won’t forget your name,” said Victor winking at Mary Margaret.

Across the room Zelena was walking around the room with her basket of items to sell.

“Excuse me I will trade you potatoe with caviar for one of your tiaras. See my old one’s broken and I am desperate,” said a waiter in an ill fitting tuxedo putting his tray of food in front of Zelena.

“What will you use it for?” asked Zelena.

“You know, state funerals, abdications, the usual?” he said with a shrug.

“I”ll see if we have your size,” said Zelena rolling her eyes and brushing right past him.

Emma, Killian, David, and Mary Margaret had all grown tired of hawking their wares to people who had more money than any of the could dream of so they decided to sneak away from the party. They snuck back backstage and then found themselves standing on the stage. The view was breathtaking even though the theatre was empty. Row after row of plush red seats made their way up to the back of the theatre. Three levels of balconies golden fronts that stretched from stage left all the way around the back of the theatre to stage right. All four of them could imagine the place packed with people waiting to see each of them dance. It was a heady feeling for sure.

Emma was dancing with Killian and Mary Margaret with David pretending to be performing for a packed house when they heard voices coming into the theatre. They all scampered quickly off the stage into the shadows of stage left.

“You had not right to paw me in front of those people.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I mean I can’t even touch you? Were not friends any more?” asked Victor who was clearly intoxicated by this point.

“Okay, Victor, listen. I think it’s great you’re back, you’re a wonderful dancer. But I am just as happily married as I was before you left,” said Belle trying to placate Victor.

“Well if things were so good at home then why did we dance better tonight than we ever have before?”

“For gods sake, Victor. That was acting! Pretending. That’s our job.” She walked past him out the door of the theatre. “I gotta get back.”

Victor downed the last of his champagne and dejectedly walked out of the theatre.

The four of them came out of the shadows of the curtains looking at each other and laughing nervously.

“Oh my god,” said Emma.

“That was so awkward,” said Killian.

The waiter with the ill fitting tuxedo saw the Zelena leaving the party with a group of other girls.

“Coming through,” he said carrying a tray of food and pushing his up next to Zelena. “So no luck?”

“What?” snapped Zelena

“The tiara. She went off to find one in my size.”

“Nope, no luck.”

“It’s alright. I’m sure you tried your hardest. Anyone want a fruit tart for the road?”

“Yeah I’ll take one,” said Emily grabbing one off the tray.

“It’s practically all fat, Emily,” admonished Zelena.

“Hello Emily, I’m Jim Gordon.”

“Hi,” she said as picked fruit off the top of the tart.

“So what you guys all work here?” asked Jim.

“No we’re students here at the American Ballet Academy,” said Mary Margaret.

“Ballerinas, very cool.”

“Oh my god. You gotta try one of these, Zelena,” moaned Emily eating the fruit tart.

“Ah so your name is Zelena.”

“We have to go.”

“Yeah me too. I am going to go home, call my mom and tell her how wrong I have been about New York. You see Zelena no last name, all this time I’ve been telling her it’s an interesting city but completely devoid of any true natural beauty. Now that I’ve met you, I know that’s not true.”

“Cummings,” said Emily.

“What?”

“Cummings, her last name is Cummings.” Zelena at this point grabbed Emily’s arm and dragged her away from him with the rest of the girls following quickly behind her off to the dorms.

 

 


	4. Chapter 3 - Just Dance

The next few months their days were filled with dance class after dance class. Three days a week in Regina’s class, one day a week in pas de deux class, and another day in technique class.

Emma chafed under the limits and the constraints of the five days a week, all day long classes. Emma just wanted to dance and the longer she was at ABA she felt like less and less like she would wanted to  fit the mold of “prima ballerina”. Emma couldn’t seem keep her mouth shut, every chance she got she challenged her teachers even while they praised her for her dancing.

Emma especially couldn’t stop herself when she was in Regina’s class. Looking at Regina often left her breathless but the woman grated on Emma’s every nerve. She was condescending and thought herself superior to Emma.

Mary Margaret on the other hand was striving so desperately to be the perfect ballerina but her feet were bad, she wasn’t able to turnout very well and she found herself messing up in class because she was trying too hard. She spent many evening alone in the dance studio trying to fix her flaws and get better but the results were just not coming.

“Excellent Emma. Where’s the turnout Mary Margaret?” said Regina as she was observing the girls dancing in class. “After everything we’ve talked about, I’m not seeing it. You understand what I am saying? Use what you have and turn out!”

“Jesus she heard you!” said Emma tired of hearing Regina harp on Mary Margaret time and time again.

“Excuse me?”

“She heard you. We all heard you. You don’t have to speak to her like that! Anyone can see she is working her ass off!” yelled Emma.

“That is enough Miss Swan,” said Regina with ice in her voice. “This is my classroom and I will run it as I see fit. If you have a problem with that you are free to leave.”

“Fine, I’ll leave.”

Emma stormed out the dance studio not looking back missing the pained look of disappointment on Regina’s face.

Regina knew that the two of them had gotten off to a rocky start in the beginning of the year but she just couldn’t seem to reach Emma. She had tried nice, she had tried tough and it just didn’t matter. Regina should have just brushed off this borderline obsession with trying to help Emma succeed, but she something drew her to Emma. Regina had been drawn to her the first time she saw Emma dance her solo at her audition. Emma had every tool to go far in the ballet world except her attitude and problem with authority were holding her back.

 

* * *

 

Mary Margaret got summoned to Mr. Gold’s office for meeting with him and Regina.

“I’m really sorry about today. I didn’t get enough sleep last night and I was just really tired,” said Mary Margaret.

“It’s not just today, Mary Margaret. I see you three times a week, you’re not improving,” said Regina.

“I can work harder.”

“Oh no matter how hard you work, dearie there are certain realities about you as a dancer that we have to face,” said Mr. Gold with little sympathy. “We can wait til the end of the year when it is time for you to get a job or we can talk about it now while you still have options. You’re not very turned out, so that needs work. And you don’t have great feet. And while you're very pretty, you don’t have the ideal body type.”

“Margot Fonteyn didn’t have great feet,” said Mary Margaret grasping for something to defend herself against Gold’s onslaught.

“When Margot Fonteyn was on stage you couldn’t tear your eyes away from her. Heh, that can’t be taught.”

Mary Margaret was trying to keep tears back at this point. Everyone may have thought the Regina was a cold heartless bitch but she was far from it. She had been left bitter and crushed after a career ending injury to her spine that left her unable to dance and lucky to even be able to walk. Regina knew what is was to have your dreams crushed by something beyond your control and she really felt awful for Mary Margaret. She thought Gold was being particularly harsh to her as he often was. Regina was thought he was a sadistic asshole but there was little she could do if she wanted to keep her job.

“In four months we are going to put on a workshop in front of 3,000 people. It’s an audition for every major ballet company in the country. From what I have seen I can’t cast you in that workshop. And if you’re not on stage that day you won’t get a job, not at ABC, not anywhere.”

“So what? Are you kicking me out?” asked Mary Margaret.

“No. I just want you to really think if this is the right place for you.”

 

* * *

 

“What a prick?” said Emma after hearing Mary Margaret relay her story about her meeting with Gold and Regina.

“He was perfectly nice about it,” shrugged Mary Margaret.

“Yeah but being nice while you say something pricky, is even prickier.”

“What if is he is right,” asked Zelena.

“What?” said Mary Margaret.

“Let’s be honest. You’re not like most other girls here. You’re technique is no where near where it should be.”

“Hey newsflash there is more to being a great dancer than perfect technique,” exclaimed Emma.

“Try dancing Swan Lake without it?”

“Oh god I can’t believe I am hearing this.”

“Look you’re really smart, if you send in your applications now you might be able to get into a good college.”

“I don’t want to go to college. I want to dance,” said Mary Margaret.

“Yeah, well so do a lot of people,” sighed Zelena rolling her eyes at Mary Margaret.

“Jesus, what? You went to a special bitch academy or something?” yelled Emma.

“I’m just trying to be honest. In my opinion that’s what friends do, tell each other the truth.”

“I guess that explains why you have so many friends.”

“If anyone asks I am in the library,” said Zelena walking out of the dorm room.

“Truth? In terms of technique you are behind. But the people here know what they are looking for and on the day of your audition they saw it, in you,” said Emma to Mary Margaret.

“Now all they see is the wrong body type. I don’t know why I can’t have your feet.”  
  
“Okay, enough. Get up.”

“Why?” whined Mary Margaret.

“Because all we ever do in this place is take class. It’s about time we had a little fun.”

 

* * *

 

“Hey, Zelena, Anna, Emily. How you guys doing?” asked Jim as he ambushed the girls after they got out of class.

“Fine,” said Emily.

“So has Zelena been really busy? She isn’t seeing someone else like Victor Whale or someone?” Jim asked Anna and Emily.

“What do you know about Victor Whale?” interjected Zelena.

“I’ve been doing my ballet research.”

“We aren’t encouraged to date company members,” said Anna.

“I fully support that policy. Look all I am here to say is that I go to NYU, pre-med, I have a clean record, impeccable hygiene and here is my number,” says Jim as he writes his number on Zelena’s palm and walks away.

Anna and Emily both urge Zelena to go after Jim as he walks away.

“Hey,” says Zelena trying to catch up with Jim. “The thing is, I have priorities. You only get to be a dancer for maybe 10 years if you don’t get injured. So for the next decade…”

“Hey all I’m asking for is a date.”

David bought everyone a round of margarita’s to their table at the salsa club.

“Okay Anna’s for sure, right? She always wins Gold’s favor.” said Sergei talking about who was going to get one the elusive company spots after the workshop. “Maureen, too.”

“Uh boring,” said Emma as she rolled her eyes.

“No Gold really likes her.”

“But that only leaves one girl spot left,” pointed out Killian.

“Emily will get it,” said Emma.

“I don’t know she is getting big and Gold hates big,” said Sergei.

“Oh no it’s just a little extra padding for the winter, “ joked Killian.

“You didn’t get all dressed up like that just talk ballet,” said David to Mary Margaret ignoring the others. “Come on let’s dance.”

David led Mary Margaret out on the dance floor. There was something shy and tentative about their first couple of dance moves but things heated up fast.

“What does she have that I don’t?” asked Killian looking at David dancing with Mary Margaret.

“She can salsa,” said Sergei.

“You call that salsa? Come on Killian we’ll show them salsa,” exclaimed Emma.

“So how do I do this exactly,” asks Zelena as she picks up a bowling ball from the return rack.

“Wait! Have you never been bowling before?” asks an incredulous Jim.

“No.”

“You just roll the ball down the lane and try to hit the pins at the end.”

Zelena turns around to face the lane as she rolls her eyes at the ridiculousness of this whole endeavour. She walks forward and swings her right arm releasing the bowling ball down the lane. She manages to knock over seven of the ten pins.

“Oh my god!” she cries raising her arms above her head in triumph and a huge smile for Jim and his friends.

After bowling they all got pizza and beer. Zelena stared at the slice of pizza sitting on her paper plate while she listened to one of Jim’s friends tell a joke, something about a mouse and an elephant. She tentatively picked up the slice of pizza and took a small bite relishing in the taste of the pizza.

Jim and Zelena walk back to her dorm hand in hand with cones of soft serve ice cream. They stop outside of the front door of the building. Jim noticed that Zelena has some ice cream on her upper lip. He leaned in kissing her softly, removing the ice cream from her lip.

“Would it be presumptuous of me to ask to come up? ask Jim.

“Yes, plus you’re not allowed. Dorm rules.”

“So this is goodnight?”

“I think so, yes,” said Zelena.

“But not goodbye?” ask Jim.

“No, not goodbye.” This time it was Zelena who leaned and initiated the kiss with Jim. She pulled back after a short but sweet kiss. “I have to go.”

Zelena stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom examining her body. Turning to the side, sucking in her stomach to see if tonight’s indulgences with Jim have somehow magically already added fat to her long and lean frame. She walks into a stall and shuts the door. If anyone were in the bathroom they would hear the sounds of gagging and then puking.

The next day in pas de deux class the evidence of the late night trip to the salsa club is showing. Mary Margaret accidently kicks David in the arm. Emma can’t stop laughing and Killian visibly has hard time with lifting Emma on to his shoulder for the choreographed lift. Sergei is unable to get Zelena up during the lift and drops her to the floor landing in a heap next to her.

“Be careful with that one. You break it you buy it,” says Emma as she sways precariously on Killian’s shoulder.

“Alright you five. Come over here,” says the instructor of the class. “When you show up unprepared to work it is disrespectful. Not only to me but your fellow classmates and to the school. Get out of my of my class.”

“How many studios are there altogether?” asks Mary Margaret as she runs a squeegee down one of the mirrors on the back wall of the studio.

“Eight.”

“Ahh, that’s a lot of mirrors.”

“It was worth it just to see Sergei getting it on with that old lady at the club last night,” said David as ran a soapy sponge over the mirror.

“Oh my god, that’s right. I had forgotten all about that” laughed Emma.

“We weren’t getting it on, okay,” protested Sergei.

“I thought she was going to detach her jaw and swallow you whole,” joked Killian.

“You know I am just trying to imagine what the lovely Galina will have to say about that,” mocked Mary Margaret.

“No, no you can’t tell her. I was lonely. It didn’t mean anything.”

“I don’t know, Sergei. I’m with Mary Margaret. I think a girl deserves to know what kind of hound she’s saving herself for,” said Emma.

“How about this?” asked Sergei as he threw his sponge at Emma’s face.

It quickly devolved into an all out water fight with everyone throwing their sponges at each other laughing and screaming. No one noticed Zelena walk by and open the door looking on at the group having so much fun. They also didn’t see the hurt look on her face as she closed the door and walked away from the studio.

 

* * *

 

“You’re threatened by me,” yelled Victor to Gold as he walked out of an empty studio.

“I’m threatened by no one,” said Gold turning around to face Victor.

“Yeah you are. You’re afraid of opening the Times and reading that at last someone is making interesting dance for ABC.”

“I’m not an idiot. If you prove that you are an excellent choreographer, I will be begging you to make dances for ABC.”

“But for now I can only choreograph for the student workshop?” asked Victor.

“That’s my decision,” said Gold.

“You know you’re still hanging on to all that personal shit.”

“I don’t need to hang on to anything. I got the girl,” sneered Gold.

 

* * *

 

“Where were you last night?” asked Emma pulling Mary Margaret back from the rest of the group after they left class. “I didn’t see you until class this morning.”

“Umm...I was out?” hesitantly supplied Mary Margaret.

“Nice try but you are going to dish about everything. I was really worried about you when weren’t back and Zelena started asking question.”

“What did you say to her?” asked Mary Margaret looking alarmed at the prospect of others, especially Zelena noticing that she was missing from the dorm last night.

“I told her that you were practicing in an empty studio and you would probably be back late. Now I know that is not where you were last night so spill.”

“I was with Victor Whale,” mumbled Mary Margaret.

“Wait you are going to have to speak up because I thought I just heard you say you were with Victor Whale last night,” said Emma her voice getting louder as she spoke until she was almost yelling.

“I did say I was with Victor Whale last night,” Mary Margaret timidly.

“What the hell?!”

“Shhh… you need to stop yelling at me Emma. I don’t need everyone at ABA knowing about this.”

“I am sorry. I was just shocked that you were with Victor Whale. I mean not shocked that he would want to be with you, you are really pretty but… oh you know what I mean.”

Mary Margaret giggled at Emma’s awkwardness.

“So really, you and Whale? How did that even happen?”

“Well I went downtown to take a dance class. I just needed to do something, anything other than another ballet class with teachers telling everything I was doing wrong. Victor came into the class late. I saw him right away but I am not sure how long it took him to recognize me.”

“So he remembered who were?” asked Emma.

“He did! He followed me out after the class. His dancing was so amazing in the class,” said Mary Margaret with a dreamy look on her face.

“Focus, so what happened after he followed you out?”

“He called my name and then said ‘I told you I wouldn’t forget your name.’ He first said that to me when I met saw him at the benefit. Then he asked me if I had already had dinner, I told him yes and then he asked me if I had had dessert.”

“You know he was feeding you a line, right?” asked Emma. She was often surprised at how naive her sweet friend was sometimes.

“Well no, but I really hadn’t had dessert yet.”

Emma rolled her eyes a bit at this but was desperately trying to be the supportive friend. “Okay what happened next?”

“He told me to get on his motorcycle and then he took me to his loft in Brooklyn. He actually didn’t have any dessert when we got to his place, but he did have wine. After that we know…” Mary Margaret’s face was bright red and she wasn’t able to actually verbalize what happened.

Emma definitely rolled her eyes over that fact that Mary Margaret was unable to actually say that she had sex with Victor Whale out loud. Emma didn’t want to dash her hopes but she had a feeling that this meant way more to Mary Margaret than it did to Whale.

“All I can say is be careful around him, he has reputation as you well know. Try not to let this get around to anyone else. I would hate for it ruin anything for you,” said Emma. “Also let me know if does anything to you and I will let him know what happens to those that mess with my friends.”

 

 


End file.
